Farmers worried as drought aid dries up

Farmers in central and east Gippsland are preparing for the end of Exceptional Circumstances (EC) drought assistance.

The Federal Government interest rate subsidies and income support will end on April 30.

Jenny Mason from the Rural Financial Counselling Service says higher commodity prices and better seasonal conditions will help farmers pay off their debts.

However, she says it could take years before farmers fully recover from the drought.

"You need to have a least two or three years of a normal or an average season to try and re-group from losses from fires, drought etc and because it's been such an extended period of time you can imagine that the time to recover can possibly take a few more years again," she said.

Drought support workers say farmers are concerned about the end of drought assistance in central and east Gippsland.

Outreach counsellor Di Robertson says she expects more farmers will seek social support when EC assistance ends this week.

"I'm seeing that probably more stress within relationships. So maybe one person is looking and [is] concerned about the end of the drought assistance and having to ...talk [about it] to their partners or family," she said.